Solenoid actuator



United States Patent [72] Inventor William J. Stephens Bedford, Mass. [21] Appl. No. 776,725 [22] Filed Nov. 18,1968 [73] Assignee H. F. Livermore Corporation Boston, Mass. a corporation of Delaware. by mesne assignements [54] SOLENOIDACTUATOR 6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

52 U.S. Cl 139/187, 139/336, 139/341, 335/276 [51] Int. Cl D03d 49/56 [50] Field otSearch... 139/185- [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 25.351 3/1963 Bauer 335/276X 1,298.70] 4/1919 Harrington.... 335/276 1,991.018 2/1935 Hope Well 139/187 CONTROL 2,205,900 6/1940 Jones 139/ 1 85 3.124.166 3/1964 Pfarrwaller 139/185X FOREIGN PATENTS 561,017 7/1923 France 139/187 Primary ExaminerJames Kee Chi Attorney-Morse & Altman & Oates ABSTRACT: A solenoid actuator is provided for use particularly for operating the binder for the shuttle box of a highspeed loom. An arm, having a solenoid clapper at one end and connected at the opposite end to a shipping rod, is formed with a medial cam surface. A solenoid housing is mounted to the loom frame and provided with a coil opposite the clapper and a flat surface opposite the cam surface of the arm disposed within the housing. When the solenoid is energized the clapper is pulled towards the coil, rocking the arm and pulling the shipping rod. The shipping rod is drivingly connected to the binder for the shuttle box and a high mechanical advantage is obtained by the cam arm. The solenoid assembly is able to produce a force output which is different from that of a conventional solenoid actuator and determined by the cam contour.

PATENTEU UEBZ 9 ms CONTROL SHEET 1 [IF 2 INVENTOR WILLlAM J. STEPHENS ATTORNEYS PATENTEU 05:29 IE 11 FIG. 3

' sum 2 0? 2 INVENTOR WILLIAM J. STEPHENS BY 7%. Q1165 v ATTORNEYS SOLENOID ACTUATOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention'relates generally to solenoid actuators and to solenoid actuators for shuttle boxes in high speed looms. More particularly, the invention is directed towards a simplified, durable. solenoid actuator having a high mechanical advantage capable of a variety of predetemtined force outputs. The actuator has special application in controlling the binder for the shuttle box on a high-speed loom.

2. Description of the Prior Art In copending application Ser. No. 634,978, filed May 1, I967 now US. Pat. No. 3,451,438 entitled High-Speed Loom" and assigned to the same assignee, there is disclosed a novel system for controlling a shuttle box binder by detecting the shuttle each time it enters the shuttle box. The system ineludes photo cells to detect the shuttle and energize solenoids to actuate the binders. It has been found that while the system operates in a manner superior to other types of loom control systems, the conventional solenoid employed was subject to relatively rapid wear requiring rather frequent servicing primarily due to failure of the bearings. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide improvements in solenoid actuators and more particularly to provide an improved solenoid actuator for the shuttle box binder of a high speed loom. A further object of this invention is to provide a solenoid actuator which may be designed to produce a force output having a predetermined character which may be different from the force output of a conventional solenoid.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention features a solenoid actuator comprising a movable cam arm mounted in operative association with a solenoid and with the solenoid clapper mounted. and preferably integral with one end of the arm. The working face of the arm is contoured in a predetermined manner to obtain a levering action of the arm against a cooperating surface of the housing when the solenoid is energized and thus produce a force output according to a predetermined curve. This invention also features a novel combination solenoid actuator and loom binder control in which the lever am for the solenoid actuator is drivingly connected to the shuttle box binder in a high speed loom to provide a more controlled braking action of the shuttle when it enters the shuttle box.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a somewhat schematic perspective view of a highspeed loom binder control made according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a solenoid actuator made according to the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view in side elevation of the solenoid actuator.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIG. I a shuttle box is mounted on each end of a lay l2 and for purposes of discussion only one shuttle box will be described. It will be understood that the shuttle box located on the opposite side of the lay is of similar construction and functions in the same fashion.

In FIG. I there is shown a portion of a woven cloth web 14 coming from the loom with warp threads 16 and 18 forming a triangular shed 20 through which a shuttle I5 is propelled. The shed is formed by reciprocating harnesses (not shown). A reed 22 is mounted on the lay I2 and cyclically advances the filling thread or pick towards the woven edge or feel 24 of the cloth 14.

The shuttle box is slotted at 26 to receive the upper end of a picker stick 28. A picker 30 is mounted on the upper end of the picker stick and is formed with a conical socket on the inner face thereof to receive the pointed end of the shuttle. The picker stick is pivoted clockwise under considerable force each time the shuttle is to be thrown into the opposite shuttle box.

The box is also provided with fixed front and rear walls 32 and 34 located on either side of the box opening. The generally rectangular opening within the box is dimensioned to accommodate the shuttle although somewhat longer than the shuttle. Associated with the fixed wall is a movable member known as the binder 36 and pivoted about a pin 38 at the end of the wall 34. The binder is provided with a working leather-covered face on the opposite wall 32. The binder serves to engage frictionally with the sides of the shuttle and in cooperation with the fixed wall 32 to bring the shuttle to a halt.

Movement of the binder 36 is by means of pivoted arm 42 integral with or connected to a shipping rod 44 extending downwardly of the lay. The arm 42 is provided with an adjustable stop 46 which bears against the outer surface of the binder 36. The shipping rod 44 is mounted to the lay for reciprocating movement along its longitudinal axis by means of a novel solenoid actuator generally indicated by the reference character 48. It will be understood that each time the solenoid actuator 48 is operated the rod 44 will be reciprocated downwardly and the arm 42 will be pivoted clockwise or to the right as viewed in FIG. 1, forcing the binder into the shuttle box.

The solenoid 48 is under the control of a shuttle detecting and positioning system which is more fully disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 634,978 referred to above. This system is generally indicated in box fonn in FIG. I by reference character 50. The system includes a light source such as a bulb 52 producing a photobearn 54 across the shuttle box entrance and against a photoelectric detecting device 56 on the opposite side of the box. Assuming the shuttle is moving in the proper fashion, it will interrupt the beam as it enters the shuttle box. This will produce a signal from the photoelectric device which in turn will initiate a time delay of very short duration after which the solenoid actuator 48 will be operated. The time delay is sufficient to permit the shuttle to move into the box before the binder is actuated. The timing is such that the shuttle will be brought to a full stop at a predetennined, precise and repeatable position within the shuttle box without rebounding A photoelectric sensor is located at the entrance of each shuttle box and a similar solenoid actuator 48 and associated rod, arm and binder are employed for the opposite shuttle box.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 2 and 3, the solenoid actuator 48 now will be described in detail. In the illustrated embodiment the actuator comprises a rugged boxed casting 60 having depending sidewalls 62 and 64 and a top wall 66. Mounted at one end of the top wall 66 is a cylindrical core 72 for a solenoid coil 74 wound therein.

The rod 44 extends freely through the outer projecting end of a lever arm 76 mounted for limited rocking movement within the housing. The lever arm 76 is formed medially with a relatively wide and contoured working cam surface 84 and comprises one part of a rocking arm arrangement.

The housing 60 typically is open at the bottom and at one end to receive the lever arm 76 therein with the cam surface 84 of the arm bearing against the lower inner face of the upper housing wall 66. The sidewalls of the housing generally define a channeled recess for the arm which rocks therein. ln order to guide the arm so that it rocks along a single line a pair of spaced guide devices and 92 are provided. These guide devices each includes a threaded pin 91 screwed into the upper part of the arm 76 and extending outwardly through an enlarged opening 93 in the housing wall 66. Preferably a bushing 95, of Teflon or the like, is mounted in the opening. A relatively light spring 97 is disposed over the shank of the pin 91 and compressed between the wall 66 and a washer 99 secured by a nut 101. The guide elements are spaced lengthwise of the am and permit free rocking movement while preventing spurious movements in other directions.

p The lever arm 76 is somewhat longer than the housing and the end extends outwardly to engage the lower end of the shipping rod with a ball nut 86. The lever arm 76 is formed with an integral solenoid clapper 94 having a disc-shaped configuration conforming generally in size to the solenoid core 72.

'When the solenoid is energized the clapper will be drawn towards the core thereby pivoting the lever arm 76 clockwise as viewed in H6. 3. This will, of course, cause the shipping rod 44 to be pulled downwardly thereby pivoting the arm 42 and actuating the binder at the shuttle box.

Characteristically, the force of a solenoid is lowest when its clapper gap is greatest and is at a maximum when the clapper gap is closed. Thus the output force of a solenoid alone is not constant over a full stroke which is objectionable for certain applications. With the presentinvention the mechanical advantage of the lever arm may be altered as the solenoid force increases by proper profiling of the cam surface of the arm. Thus it is possible to produce a constant torque output over the full stroke of the solenoid or over a selected portion of it by proper design of the cam surface.

1 The solenoid actuator as shown in FIG. 1 is mounted to a shaft 103 which is part of the loom and is rotatably mounted to the loom frame near the base thereof. The lay, shuttle box, picker, etc., are connected to the shaft and move with it so that there is no relative movement between the solenoid actuator and those portions of the loom. Typically the actuator is mounted to the shaft 103 by means of a pair of saddle blocks 105 and 106 across the bottom of the housing 60 and seated on the shaft, pillow blocks 107 and 108 and U-bolts 109 and l 10.

lnsofar as the arm rocks against the housing wall when operating. there is very little tendency to wear and this, coupled with the relatively large bearing surfaces, will insure long, trouble-free life.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to the illustrated embodiment it will be understood that numerous modifications thereto will appear to those skilled in the art. For example, instead of contouring the arm the housing upper wall may be contouredwith the working surface of the arm flat. Alternatively, both the working surfaces of the arm and housing wall may be contoured.

I claim:

1. A solenoid actuator, comprising:

a. a relatively fixed support having a first bearing surface;

b. an elongated lever having a pair of ends and a second bearing surface, said lever being pivotally mounted to said support between said ends with said second bearing surface in rolling contact with said first bearing surface;

c. at least one of said surfaces being contoured;

d. a solenoid;

e. one portion of said solenoid mounted tosaid support and another portion mounted 1 to *one end of said lever whereby energization of said solenoid will pivot said lever against the support; and :2 I

f. output means connected to the'othe'r end of said lever.

2. A solenoid actuator according to claim 1 wherein said support and lever are formed with relatively wide working surfaces at least one of which is contoured into a cam configuration.

3. A solenoid actuator according to claim 1 including guide means for restraining said lever for rocking movement about one axis only.

4. Apparatus for operating the binder of a loom shuttle box, comprising in combination:

a. an actuating mechanism including an elongated lever having a pair of ends one of which is operatively connected to said binder and a support operatively engaging said lever, said lever and support having cooperating working surfaces at least one of which is contoured the working surface of said lever being located between said ends;

b. a solenoid for biasing said lever in a rolling action against said sup rt; and

c. one p0 ion of said solenoid being mounted on said lever t at the other end thereof and another portion being mounted to said support in relatively fixed position opposite said one portion.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 including photoelectric means for detecting a shuttle entering said shuttle box and adapted to energize said solenoid.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4'wherein said mechanism is mounted to a portion of said loom movable with said shuttle box. 

